To start us off, a bit of a history review. After running the stock, Megan Tracks, KYB/Swift Sports (briefly), Bilstein HD/Swift Sports, and now Bilstein HD/Swift Spec Rs, I have the opportunity to feel out many setups and advance the realm of spring/strut/sway combinations. I firmly believe in and have won in this quest. And as far as I know, I am one of the only people to have tested all of these on my own car. And most specifically, the Swift GSR Sports to the GSR Spec R's.

After a bunch of fun Sunday/Monday dealing with some frozen bolts, frozen hands, and some choice words the Swift Spec R's are now on my Bilstein HD's. I had to run over to my local shop here in Ohio to get the bolts torched. A torch is one of the few things I don't have. We did get a Kerosene heater for the garage – yeah heat. It took me about 2 hours with the help of my father to get off the Swift Sports and put in the Spec Rs.

Yes, I realize that it is winter time, so no racing reviews until this spring. Sorry guys and gals. But as soon as I get back out for the 2009 season I will update this review. This review will concentrate on the street/daily driving mannerisms of this setup.

The future:
Last season, I ran the Dunlop Z1 and Z1 Star Spec tires for HPDE's and AXing. This season I am planing on getting a dedicated race-only set of NT01's or similar r-comp tire. Don't get me wrong, the Dunlop's are a great tire – hands down. However, at this point, I have taken street tires as far as they could take me. I have learned on them and pushed them to the edge. Both as an instructor and being instructed when I started off – this is the right learning pattern. Start slow - go fast.

One big thing with tires is matching what your suspension can handle. With the increase grip levels on the new tires I will be going to, you will translate more of that grip into the suspension. Basically, as grip increases you should increase your spring rate to cope (oversimplified). The Spec R's do that and more.

As you can see, up front the Spec Rs have a 22 lb/in softer starting rate and a 89 lb/in stiffer final rate. And 11 lb/in softer starting rate and 61 lb/in stiffer final rate in the rears. Just like in the Sports, this softer initial rate yields great street-ability over road imperfections. Just driving around town and on some of upper Ohio's I-wish-I-was-in-the-mountains-twisty-roads this setup has just awesome feel. Remember, one of my complaints for Megan Tracks was the stiffness for everyday life, the Spec R's are not so stiff that it hurts to drive longer than 15 minutes.

The Spec R's feel like the Sports just with the volume up at 11.

I do not have the spring ramp up data on hand, however that initial rate is quickly ramped up to stiffer rates. Soon as you get into a turn you can feel the car bite into the turn. And even on all-season tires, it grips and gives the driver great feel on what is going on. What does that mean to you? An ear-to-ear grin. I cannot wait until this spring when I get to run in the first AX's and Winged Warrior V!

A little bit stiffer overall compared to the MR's. When I had a chance to drive my friends MR around town and on the roads they felt very similar. Besides valving, being rebuildable, and price - the MR's are good. The stock MRs are expensive to replace though, my biggest negative about them.